India is infamous throughout the world for its sweltering summer heat, which I, for one, am sick and tired of. The real winters come in late December, and before you know it, it is summers already. Just as March ends, the temperature starts rising to the point, where you feel the ground burning, even if you are wearing shoes. Yeah, we can switch on the AC to get some respite and hike up our electricity bill, but I want something more. Call me demanding if you will, but I feel that a technologically fabricated environment can never match the feeling of being in the relatively cool places on Earth.
What you can do in such a case is head to the mountains of the North…the mighty Himalayas. Within the chain, there are places, mostly above the altitude of 6000 feet that are cool even during the strongest and most pathetic of summers. But, mind you, even there the temperature can touch 30 degree Celsius. The alternative obviously is going even higher, say 10-15000 feet? Whatever havoc the summers are laying in the rest of the country, such places always remain cool. For ages, I have wanted to visit the Valley of Flowers, located in the state of Uttarakhand! So, I went to the internet, wanting to know everything I could before I plan to go. Below, I share with you the treasure of knowledge that I found about this “heavenly” place.
Nepal ranks among the most peaceful nations in the world, be it in terms of the culture, people, landscape or the social setup. Home to the great Mount Everest and nestled in the magnificent Himalayan Mountain Range, Nepal’s economy thrives on tourism and it sees an influx of thousands of tourists from across the globe. Having the highest peak in the world certainly helps boost tourism in the country, but Nepal contains several other sights and gems, which are worth visiting for adventure aficionados. From time to time, there are things one needs to do that are not in synchronisation with convention, thereby making it all the more exciting and intriguing. A trek to the Annapurna Range could aptly be characterised as one such activity, which a lot of people do not undertake out of fear, but should definitely try.
As confessed by French mountaineer, Maurice Herzog, “Annapurna, to which we had gone emptyhanded, was a treasure on which we should live the rest of our days. With this realization we turn the page: a new life begins. There are other Annapurnas in the lives of men.”
“Travelling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” – Ibn Battuta
Life seems like a never-ending beautiful dream when you are in college. Fun-filled friends, first-day movies, adventure trips and educational excursions, the university time was all about boundless fun and learning at the same time; except during the annual exams when most of us would mug up the book. The real trouble starts, when you enter into your first job and realise that you are not cut out for this stuff. And before you know, the inevitable happens – you too like many others give up on your real passions and get stuck in the vicious cycle of a 9 to 5 job. This used to be my story till 4 years ago, when I finally decided to bid adieu to my hectic (target oriented, to be more precise) corporate job and do what I always wanted to do – travel and write. With time, both my passions merged and paved the way for my travel writing career; something which I dearly love today!
My work takes me around the world, and in the process, I meet a lot of people. And one common question I usually get from them is – what is it like to be a travel writer? And if you too are wondering about the same, then read on and find out.
Gorging on New Dishes If you ask me what is the best part about my job, then my answer to you would be “the chance to taste different dishes”. I am an exceptionally big foodie and the mere mention of the word ‘food’ is enough to get me excited. There have been instances when I have travelled to a place, just for food. One instance that I can recall at this moment is my trip to Hyderabad to taste the authentic Hyderabad Biryani. I had to travel for straight 20 hours to reach the city, and my next 12 hours in the city were spent having Biryani (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and other Hyderabad delicacies. By midnight, I was on the train returning to my hometown. Once back, I wrote a piece about my experience on my blog; and guess what, I received some wonderful comments from my readers. This piece on my Hyderabad experience was picked by a leading newspaper, a few days later; it was like icing on the cake! Another one of my absolute favorite foods is Delhi Samosa, and I never leave a chance to gorge on it!
Some memories are etched in our minds so deep that they remain with us for the lifetime! And one such wonderful memory of mine is that of my journey along the Hindustan Tibet Road with my favourite group of friends. It was my friend’s idea to take this road trip. Initially, we all were a bit apprehensive, but finally all of us agreed; glad that we did!
Constructed in 1850, the Hindustan-Tibet road or National Highway 22 is probably one of the most impressive feats of human endeavour, and one needs to drive through it to actually understand it. This road starts from Ambala in Haryana and passes through Chandigarh, Shimla and Spiti Valley, before finally winding down at the village of Khab on the border with Tibet. This road, especially as one drives high into the mountains, is probably one of the most treacherous ones in the world.
“The gladdest moment in human life, methinks, is a departure into unknown lands.” – Sir Richard Burton
A recent phone conversation with a long-time friend had me wondering about travelling as a lifestyle. This friend of mine has turned into an avid traveller and I am not surprised; he always had that adventurous inclination. What surprised me was the fact that he is still a student and his parents do not financially support his passion. Surely, the question that how do some people travel all year round without holding a permanent job must arise in your mind too. The answer lies in what my friend said when I enquired about it. He plainly said, “I work while I travel”. Upon a bit of research, I found out that to make money while travelling has been gaining immense popularity, as I write this and you read it. Travelling is unarguably the latest form of soul-searching. Travelling, as a way of seeking peace, contentment and growth, is turning into a passion for our generation.
If you ever happened to bump into me at my house, you would probably find me watching TLC, NDTV Good Times or any other travel-related channel or programme on the TV. The reason being, I just love to travel. I utilise the smallest little break I get from work, and head out. I was lucky enough to go to a school, which organised trips and outings regularly, and I took many of these opportunities to go places I had never been to. And believe me; it was worth it every time. I haven’t been to any international destination yet, but who needs such places when your own country has so much. Mountains, forests, sea, lakes, rivers, desert…what can you not find here?
And I don’t really need to dwell on the fact that the diversity of people you see here is mind boggling. New places, new scenes, new people and new experiences make me want to go out again, the moment I return from a trip. So, “Don’t wait for the grass to grow”, plan a trip and “Just do it.” When you come back, be sure to share your stories and of course, pictures! Now, enjoying your tour is obviously the most important thing, but so is to stay fit while travelling. Many people, who travel a lot, either fall sick often or gain weight, due to change in climate and place, and different eating habits and patterns.
Remember the famous quote by Saint Augustine, “The world is a book, and those, who don’t travel, read only a page”? Man, was he right?
For most of us, what we have seen around us is our world. And that includes all the things we have seen on TV, read about in magazines or newspapers, or heard from others. Though, most of them try to give us as true a picture as possible, something always seems missing. It is the experience that these informative pieces fail to deliver. And, why would they not? We cannot feel through words (it is possible only in romantic poems or movies). For example, if someone were to tell you, “I could feel the wind on my face”, would you be able to feel it? No. Right?
For a first-hand experience, you have to get off your seat, and TRAVEL. Stop whining; stop complaining that planning a tour is painstaking or that you are too lazy to do it. Got a laptop, mobile or desktop with a working internet connecting? USE IT. Do a bit of research, read a few blogs and plan a trip… Just try not making the following travelling mistakes that most people do, and you will be just fine. Or we may say just follow the 10 Commandments of Travelling, and that’s all.
Have you been spending loads in the gym to get your body in shape, but feel bored by the stereotypical routine and exercises? There is another way you can do it, and it would be a lot better than the gym – Trekking! Yeah, that’s right! Hiking/Trekking is an excellent way to keep yourself up and running. It gives you the chance to exercise in natural conditions, unlike those simulated ones in the gym like on a boring treadmill. Ascending cliffs with the oxygen level decreasing as you go higher will tone up your body like nothing else.
Be glad you are in India as the hilly terrain in the northern part gives you endless opportunities for hiking. There are trails aplenty that you could take through the mountains. Consider the blast of cultures that will take you over as you journey past scenic hamlets, and you have got yourselves a fiesta. The famous children’s author, JRR Tolkien said in the Lord of the Rings, “All those who wander are not lost”, and he was right. Wandering endlessly does not always take you far from everything, but closer to yourself.
There are treks that vary in difficulty and altitude, and you can go in an increasing order to get your body used to it and prepared for the next challenge. In order to prepare for these treks, all you got to do is to start with brisk walks, jogging, climbing stairs and some breathing exercises. This should get you ready for the easy treks, and a few easy treks would set you in motion for the tougher ones. A couple of these every year would guarantee overall fitness. Bunk gym and go trekking for a healthy life. Here is a description of some treks and the sort of workout they will give you, arranged in the increasing order of difficulty.
“The bicycle is the noblest invention of mankind.” – William Saroyan
Bicycle tours are fast coming up as an exciting activity for both fitness and adventure enthusiasts. You can go on a bicycle tour in the hilliest of the cities, in the remotest of villages, in the densest of jungles, and in the most developed metros. Say no to over-crowded buses and pocket-burning cabs with any of these ultimate cycling trips in India that you just cannot miss!
Bicycle Tour in Leh Cycling all the way from the picturesque Manali to the heavenly Leh is one of the most physically challenging, yet the most satisfying experiences. It takes you through some of the world’s highest passes, scenic trails and the mightiest of mountains. You will touch altitudes almost as high as 16000 feet on passes like Rohtang La, Tanglang La, Lachulung La and Baralacha La. Also, on this cycling tour, you get to witness the beauty and changing landscape of 2 mountain ranges, including the Zanskar Range and the Pir Panjal Range. And before you begin to worry about loneliness, it is wise to point out that plummeting valley, gushing rivers and herds of sheep are constantly going to keep you company.
Travelling in recent times has become a part and parcel of our lives. Each one of us travels for some reason or the other – be it for work, soul searching, to gain knowledge or just fun and leisure. Travelling inspires me to be culturally aware, be more tolerant about the world and its people, and instills in me the sense to be committed towards the environment. However in today’s global tourism industry, even though people are getting more aware of the benefits of travelling, they are exploiting the natural environment.
It is easy to be a tourist, to travel from one place to another, see new places and have new experiences. What is not easy is to be a responsible traveller, and embrace the power in us to help transform the way the world travels! While travelling responsibly is important on each and every sojourn, it becomes all the more vital while travelling to the mountains and other remote places. These are the places less explored, less visited, less inhabited. These are the places that have, to a great extent, managed to retain their pristine beauty, and it becomes our moral responsibility to make sure that it stays maintained.
Trekking is one such activity where you come in close contact with nature for many days. You trek through valleys, forests, meadows; cross rivers, streams and lakes; camp on many untouched spots, and reach high altitudes. The chances of leaving a lasting impression on your natural surroundings increase manifold on such trips. So it becomes absolutely necessary to be aware about the kind of places you are going to, the flora and fauna, the things you need to carry in order to not harm the environment, about the local communities and how you can contribute to making lives easier for them.
Some of us are just happy with the way our life is, but a lot of us are sitting at our office desks, staring at the computer screens wondering, if this is the life we want! Are we doing what makes us happy? Are we taking out enough time to relax and rejuvenate? I am sure these questions pop into many of our heads as we really dream about setting off on the adventure of a lifetime!
I can’t stay for long without travelling! If it has been more than four weeks, I get restless and want to take a break and wander off to the Himalayas! Where I choose to go often depends on my mood. If I am in a mood to relax and rejuvenate, I would prefer going to Kerala or Goa than the mountains. To get solitude and some “Me” time, the Himalayas are what I need! I make it a point to travel to the Himalayas at least once in 2 months because living in Delhi is a blessing if you love Himalayas. I always try to find different ways of travelling to the mountains and explore the yet unexplored and remote villages and places. Trekking is one of my favorite adventure activities as it always shows me a different side of mountains! The best part about trekking is that I get a chance to be close to the mountains and I feel that I belong there!
The Great Himalayan beauty is not just limited to mountains! The Himalayan Lakes are breathtaking too! I am sure once you get to know about these stunning lakes in Himalayas, you will feel that any trip to the Himalayas is incomplete without paying a visit to this awe-inspiring water bodies!
Many of these high altitude lakes are freshwater lakes formed by glacial activity. Some of these stunning lakes are only accessible through difficult treks to these regions and that’s one of the reason they have managed to retain their beauty and charm! These high altitudes will take your breath away by not only their beauty but by their unique features! Some have ever-changing colors and some are the best birding spots.
People might not know about these mesmerising lakes but some determined trekkers trek for days all the way just to see the beauty of these great Himalayan Lakes!
I have picked up some of the most beautiful ones. When I look at them, I imagine myself sitting on the shore, gazing at them and peacefully taking in all the beauty.
Am I the only one who wants to go out to some peaceful yet thrilling place and not return for a while? While thinking about making a plan to plan a vacation, I came across a lot of amazing and unexplored places to stay in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Himachal has always been my favorite place to escape from noise, stress, people, and of course the increasing pollution in Delhi. Mountains are my first love and whenever I feel a little low in life, mountains are like solace to my soul. The fresh crisp air, the warmth of the locals and the amazing food always allure me!
I would love to spend some time in an amazing camp in the lap of the Himalayas, curled up with my favorite book, my playlist, some hot tea and the mountains. Here is my pick of some of the best camping experiences in the Himalayas, for that perfect break that we all need! Spend some peaceful days deep in the unexplored Himalayan Valleys of these beautiful mountain states. Remember to gaze at the starry sky when there in the mountains!
Camping in the Himalayas is a treat to the senses!
If self-discovery is what you are looking for, then travelling on the endless roads on a motorbike is just the thing for you. A motorbike tour not just unleashes the adventurer in you, but is a journey of new experiences that can never be felt otherwise. Already feeling the adrenalin rush? Keep reading to know about some of the best motorbike routes in the Himalayas that will immediately beckon the rider in you. Here’s our lowdown on the must-do motorbike tours in the Himalayas.
Motorbike Tour in Ladakh
The concept of motorbike tours in India was made popular by the number of adventure enthusiasts, visiting Leh on their bikes. The challenging circuits, coupled with the beauty of the mountains, have attracted travellers from all across the world. The one thing that makes this trip the ultimate adrenalin-pumping experience is the unpredictability of the rocky terrain. Add to that the close brush-up with Tibetan culture, monasteries and nomadic tribes, and this motorbike tour turns magical. There are many routes that you could take in this region, like the Manali to Ladakh, Srinagar to Manali, Chandigarh to Manali via Srinagar, Ladakh and back to Chandigarh, or you could simply fly to Leh and indulge in motorbike trips within Ladakh.
As adolescents, probably we all have imagined ourselves flying in the blue sky among the white clouds and watching all the glory of the world from up above; just like the birds. Isn’t it? We all desired so, maybe because we associated a sense of freedom with it, and probably we felt an adrenaline rush just by thinking about it.
Today, after so many years, if you are still unable to put that desire down, then just don’t, because now you can actually realise it. How? Well, today a number of aerial activities are being organised all over India by professionals, who guarantee to give you some of the most adventurous moments of your life, assuring safety and top quality. Read on to know more about these sports, and where and how they are offered. See India from the air with us.
Paragliding Paragliding is an adventure sport, where one flies with the help of a fabric wing which is connected to what is called a canopy or paraglider. Weather, especially wind, plays an important role in this activity as depending on it the launch of a glider is possible. Therefore, most launches are made from a height, where it is not only easy to ascertain the wind flow patterns, but also gives the flier the opportunity to glide a certain distance before reaching the ground and if possible enter thermals (rising currents of air) to climb high, sometimes much higher than the take-off spot. This sport is offered at different places in the country, but there are some places where it can be enjoyed the most, and these are Kamshet, Maharashtra and Bir Billing, Himachal Pradesh. For amateurs or first timers, tandem paragliding is the best option as the flying of the glider is taken care of by the pilot while they enjoy the view from the passenger’s seat. Those interested in becoming paragliding pilots can do so by taking certified courses offered by reputed paragliding institutes.
It’s been almost 8 years since I started maintaining a travel diary and probably turned myself into a more observing traveller from a happy-go-lucky leisure tourist. Ah! 8 Years; seems like as if it was only yesterday that I had been to Goa.
Honestly, all these years of travelling has made me realise exactly what went through Aldous Huxley’s mind when he wrote the lines – “To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.” In my case, it was more about leaving behind all my prejudices and learning about different cultures and people, which somehow my geography teacher in school never stressed upon, unfortunately. And thus, I consider myself lucky enough to have been able to visit quite a few states of the country, especially the 7 sister states of North-east India, with utmost curiosity.
My first tour to North-east India was to the land of proud Ahoms – Assam, and it was pure bliss; from relishing local delicacies and enjoying natural vistas to my interactions with some of the most wonderful people I have ever met. Here is my pick of the best travel experiences in northeast India.
Assam – Kaziranga Elephant Safari – A Ride to Remember Being a nature lover, I chose to first visit Kaziranga National Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This protected region, which lies in the Nagaon and Golaghat districts of Assam, was set up in 1908. It is not only home to a high density of great one-horned rhinoceroses and tigers, but also several species of birds. Drained by four rivers, including the mighty Brahmaputra, this National Park offers fantastic safari opportunities, across its 430 sq km area.
“You are a curious and a restless soul, and that is the problem and the solution to everything!”
Growing up being a defense officer’s daughter certainly has its takeaways. I was five when I sailed in a defense ship for the first time, eight when I learned how to swim and thirteen when I scuba dived for the first time in my life, this was in the Andaman. My father served in the Indian Coast Guard for 28 years and hence I spent the first 18 years of my life very close to the sea. Not to mention the need for adrenaline rush began at a nascent stage in my life. Before Goa became Goa, I spent 3 years of my final schooling in Vasco. I had seen so much of Goa in that time that going back there for another mundane vacation was not on my list. Clearly I had seen so much of sea that a beach vacation did not excite me anymore.
I began most of my travel sojourns only after I completed bachelors from Delhi University. I started a desk banking job, made new friends and luckily those that loved to travel, and there it was, the beginning. Lying to parents just to travel had begun! I started exploring the mountains, when I was 22, with the first trip to Dharamshala. I had been to the mountains as a kid, to Shimla and Manali, but with folks (does anyone count those trips?). I traveled nonstop for the next two years and every time to the mountains, the more I’d travel there, the more I’d want!
En-route Har Ki Doon Trek.
My first ever Enfield trip was in 2009 through the Grand Hindustan Tibet Road – Spiti Valley. Back then no one knew what or where this valley was. It was the most gruesome experience of my life until then; I was 22 and had no idea of what I was getting into. It was an adventure I took when I was nowhere close to ready and had several falls and injuries during the ride, but I survived and that was all that mattered. I realized that I was stronger than I thought, though I was still too young to understand what that meant.
I had tasted blood and so in 2010 I decided to take the Manali – Leh – Srinagar road trip with friends. This time I was better prepared. I consider myself lucky to have explored these places while they were still untouched. The beauty of the mountains started to infuse in my blood streams in a way that I never imagined it would. I didn’t care anymore about the company I was in, I started falling in love with the mountains and that’s all I could see and feel around me, the mighty Himalayas!
I moved to Switzerland for my post-graduation and by then the fear of solo travel had gone far away. Even though Switzerland is beautiful, nothing beats the beauty of the mighty Himalayas. I traveled to Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, France and Germany. It was an unforgettable experience no doubt. I started loving the feeling of being a lone gypsy, just heading out to a destination, staying in cheap accommodations and reading maps to find places. Being in Europe for two years I got the chance to fulfill some of my childhood dreams, one was going to Disneyland in Paris and the other was to visit Anne Frank’s Memorial in Amsterdam. It was now that I, secretly in my mind, had started thinking of opening my own travel venture, and started building it up in my head. I was 23!
At total peace with myself
I returned to India and started working in the hospitality sector. If only I knew back then that one can travel, blog, make money and do it all over again! A mainstream job could never hold me and I was pretty much confused in my head as to what am I supposed to be doing with my life! I had quit banking, I wanted to be a chef, but that wasn’t happening too. I found myself doing sales for some odd reason. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either. I started switching jobs one after another turning my resume into a shocking piece on how unsteady a person can be. I was 25 and still not old enough to know that there was nothing wrong in feeling that way; I was just trying to find my place and my true calling, which society never understood. Guess they never do! This further drew me in, and more solo travel to the Himalayas happened, as that’s where I felt the most at peace!
From 2012 until today, while I was hopping jobs one after another, I made numerous trips to the mountains. Starting from spending time alone at the Norbulinka institute (Dharamshala), to living like a hippie in Kasol, to traveling to interiors of Lahaul, I experienced it all. The Buddhist Culture always had strange ways of drawing me towards itself. I was never a religious person (still am not), but I always found myself praying in a monastery, and I don’t know why and how.
Monasteries have a way of filling my heart like nothing else!
In the year 2012 came the grand turning point of my life with my first ever trek to Malana. I probably can never describe in words what that feeling was. I was at a point in my life where I was convinced that I was good for nothing and didn’t deserve a thing. I was a very strong athlete and a swimmer as a kid, but soon I hit the teens and developed Bronchial Asthma which killed my stamina to an extent where I could not walk up the stairs without going breathless, let alone climbing mountains. I also came to know that I have a deformed backbone, which I didn’t know until I turned 25. With all that playing at the back of my head I decided to climb up and I made it! Along with that I made another career switch, the telecom sector.
Whenever I traveled or wherever I traveled in all these years, one thing that truly disturbed me was the pollution – the way the places were being degraded by irresponsible tourist activity and lack of knowledge of the locals. I wanted to do something about it but wasn’t sure of how and where to begin.
I had done enough backpacking and I wanted to see bigger and higher mountains, so there was just one solution to that problem – trekking. It was 2013 when I started trekking and in this span I did close to 10-12 Himalayan treks. Starting from the basic ones like the Kheerganga, Triund, Beas Kund and then the moderate ones like the Har ki Doon and Hampta Pass and a few more! When you climb; get tired; literally want to cry; get up when you cannot; keep walking; push yourself beyond your physical limits; push the mind; you don’t just win beautiful sights but you overcome your demons too. A vacation for me meant trekking and I can literally keep trekking for the rest of my life.
Mountains, Monasteries and Me 🙂
It was climbing mountains that helped me find my true calling in life, which is to save the planet. Soon after telecom I moved to environment conservation. My true teacher was travel and there is no other better teacher than experience itself. That’s when I decided what I wished to do with my life – help people travel responsibly, and in this process protect the planet and create harmony.
2016, being the year when I enter my 30s, I am flagging off my Ecotourism venture. I wish to share my experiences, not just in words, but through the experience of travel itself. The world is a beautiful place, and every soul and place has a story to share. I wish to create a world within this world where people are taught on how to respect the gift that we have, the Earth itself, and in this process find themselves, and that’s how I shall continue to find myself. I also wish to inspire others to travel solo in the Himalayas.
“Only if you have been in the deepest valley, can you ever know how magnificent it is to be around the highest mountain.” – Richard M. Nixon
These picture perfect spots in the Himalayas can turn anyone into a photographer! My first encounter with the Himalayas was so alluring that after that nothing could stop me for exploring them further. The beauty that my eyes have witnessed cannot be described here in words, but these shots from the Himalayas are enough to make you want to travel to these places! When you get there, savour those moments, take in the exquisiteness of the place for as long as you can, because these moments are rare and you might not get the chance to visit them again in your life!
The Himalayas are known for their historical, religious, and geographical significance. To me they are the path to adventure, to peace and grandeur. Explore some of the splendid vistas in the Himalayas here with us!
The word ‘Endangered’ being associated with the Royal Bengal tiger – one of the most ferocious and majestic tiger species in the world – is truly disheartening! Found primarily in India with smaller populations in China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar, this wildlife species today faces the threat of extinction owing to large-scale deforestation and poaching. However, in recent decades, several efforts have been made by governments and NGOs to protect their population, which has gone down to less than 2,500.
These magnificent creatures, weighing up to 400 to 600 pounds, have a strong sense of smell and great vision. Generally, they are spotted in mangroves, tropical and subtropical rainforests, high altitudes and grasslands. If you wish to see this species of tiger in its natural habitat, then you should make plans to visit some of the dense National Parks and Wildlife Reserves in India, Bangladesh and Nepal. Spot the majestic Bengal Tiger in the wilderness and have an exhilarating experience.
Far away from the hustle of mankind, there exists a separate world where birds chirp their way to happiness. Birdwatching, a hobby that is increasingly becoming popular, is all about finding a quiet corner in the midst of nature and silently observing the birds go about their everyday business. Everything about birdwatching, from the chirping sounds to singing tunes, takes the mind closer to the soul, instantly filling you with happiness unbound.
So, what is the best part about being a bird watcher in India? You don’t have to look far, or burn a hole in your pocket. A weekend away from home is enough to learn all about birds and a few lessons about unity and diversity. India, a home to incredibly rich fauna, offers a lot of birding locations in all parts of the nation. Want to find out some birding locations near your home? Keep reading!!
Pancheshwar, Uttarakhand Around 40 km from Lohaghat, in the Champawat district of Uttarakhand, Pancheshwar is serene and sacred at the same time. This surreal town is bordered by the mesmerising hills of Nepal, and also marks as the confluence point of River Kali and River Saryu, a dip in the waters of which is considered auspicious. Add to all this the beautiful birdwatching trails, and Pancheshwar is just the place to be over the weekend. If lucky, you may see almost 180 species of birds, some of them considered rare.
